Poultry-crate.



ran/1.565% R. D. KLEAR.

PouLTRY CRATE.

'Patented Oct. 9, 1917.

li' aan mais naar ernten.

Entrate. 1v1,v esta aan; RALPH D. KLM-a. QF @sesam BEND.. OlliorouLrnY-caamn. v

.Application mea April 7, 1917. serial No. 160,498.

To, all whom, it may concern.'

Be it known that we, EDWARD, M. EGER and RALPH D. KLEAR, citizens of the United States, and residents of Pleasant Bend, in the county of Henry and State ofOhio, have invented a certain new and useful Poultry- Crate; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and enactl description of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it apperf tains to make and use the saine,'reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a partof this specification.

This invention relates to collapsible crates or packing cases, and particularly to a Crate of this character adapted for the shipping of poultry;

The primary object of our invention vis the provision of a simple and efficient `collapsible crate of the character. descnibed composed of few parts and capable of being easily and quickly. set up or `collapsed and capable of being locked in either of said forms. Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description thereof.

While the invention, in its broader aspect, is capable of embodiment in numerous forms, a preferred embodiment thereof is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,"

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a crate in set-up form embodying our invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the crate in collapsed form with the top member and locking means removed, and Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary detail in perspective of one corner portion of the crate in set-up position.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the bottom member of the crate which is preferably, but not necessarily, of imperforate material, to the top of which adjacent to the respective ends and side edges are hinged the opposed ends 2, 2 and the opposed sides 3, 3 for inward collapsing movements, the sides being adapted to fold -inward over the ends 2, as shown in Fig. 2. These sides and ends may be of grated or open form, as shown.

Each side 3 is provided at each end thereof adjacent to its upper edge with an in- I wardly turned tongue or hook 4, which parallels the ,SGS and is, adapted to tit into a.

Specification of Letterslgatent.

Patented oet', e, 1917.

registering opening 5 in the adjacent end 2. It is thus evident that the. ends 2, 2 are pre vented from swinging outward from Set-up position and that the sides 3 3V are prevented from swingingI both inward and; outward from setfupA position. a .j

The top member: of 4the crate comprises twol sections 6 and Z which `are hinged together at their inner ends, preferably'at the longitudinal center of the crate, as at 8, to permit an outward bowing or breaking of thetop niemberfto facilitate `an insertion of the end' spurs 9, which are ,provided4 at the outer ends ofthe top member, into or a removal of the same from registering openings, 10 in the upper edge portions of the ends 2 2. The top. is provided in spaced relation at its side edges with hooked tongues 11 for engaging over the top Vedgeof the respective sides 3 3 lto support the top member in ceuntersfunk relation-to. hQ'OP @Cl-JSS olf the Sides-and ends of the Crate. 111th@ Present instance each Section 0f the topi Ine/mf Der is rrarded with two lugs 1l at; each .Side thereof.; l 4 The top member of the crate is provided inits center with an opening 12 which ex- .'.ftei'idspartly into each section 6 and 7 and is closed by a door 13 which is hinged to one end thereof, as at 14. The free end of the door 13 when in closed position rests on a spur or tongue 15 projecting from the adjacent end wall of the opening 12. A latch member 16 is hinged to the section 7 at the free end of the door 18 and is adapted to be swung over the free end portion of the door 13 to hold it in closed position, as shown in Fig. 1.

When the crateis in set-up positionwith the top member 6, 7 thereof in place, a rodA 17 is inserted through openings 18 in the sides 3, 3 adjacent to their top edges and extends across the top member of the crate adjacent to the center thereof and through the looped free end of the latch member 16,

thereby retaining all of the parts in closed` or locked position. The rod 17 is capable of being removed in only one direction through the openings 18, and the end thereof,'which is drawn through the openings is provided with an eye for receiving the padlock 19, which retains the rod in locking relation to the crate. It is thus evident that the rod 17 not only retains the top member of the crate in assembled relation to the sides and ends thereof but also .coperates with latch member 16 to retain the door 13 in closed position.

When the crate is collapsed the sides and ends thereof are folded inward with the sides disposed outermost and the top member 6, Tis then placed over the same with two of the end spurs 9 extending into registering apertured ears 20 which are fixed to and rise from the respective end edges of the bottom 1 at the outer sides of the respective end members 2. The rod 17 is then inserted through apertured ears 21, which are fixed to and rise from the side edges of the bottom 1 near the center thereof and without the side members 3, 3, said rod eX- tending over the central portion of the top member 6, 7 to secure all of the parts in assembled collapsed relation.

It is evident that our improved crate is capable cflbeing easily set up or knocked down and that whenin collapsed form is capable of being compactly packed for storage or shipment. For durability and cheapness of construction the bottom, sides, ends and top member are preferably composed of sheet metal with the sides, ends and top member preferably provided with grated openings.

what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

` In a crate of the class side and end members hinged to said bottom for inward folding movements thereover, said members having interlocking hooked engagement at their end edges when in setup relation and the end members having openings in their top edge portions, a top member disposed in countersunk relation to the top edges of the side and end members and having spurs at opposite ends for insertion into said end openings'and having parts at its side edges for engaging over the top edges of the side members, said top member being jointed intermediate its ends to permit an outward breaking thereof and having a door opening extending on both described, a bottom, y

sides of such joint, a door hinged 1n said opening at one end thereof, a latch member hinged to the top member at the other end of said opening and adapted to lie over the free kend of said door to hold it in closed position and having an opening in its free end, a rod extended through the top edges of the sidemembers over the top member and door and tl'irough the free end of the latch member' to retain the parts in assembled closed relation, and means for securing said rod in locked position.

In testimony whereof, we have hereunto signed our names to this specification.

EDWARD M. VEGER.

Y RALH vD. KLEAR.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

- Washington, 11C. 

